Don't agree with your An Xuyen eval. The Best Baguette in Beaverton does a totally serviceable banh mi (and it was my first, which probably counts for some nostalgia) -- and it's one of the cheapest, quickest, tastiest things you can get around there. Tan Tan is also great though -- just a bit more of a traditional sit-down Vietnamese place.
Posted by Melogna]]>
Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:40:12 -0700Portland Mercury
Posted by AvonBarksdale]]>
Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:56:28 -0700Portland Mercury
That said, I think there are some serious weaknesses:

1) You note that it's unfair to compare a $3 sandwich to a $10 sandwich, but with balance of ingredients playing such a large part in your rankings, it's probably unfair to compare a $3 sandwich with a $6 sandwich, too. Note that you can at most banh mi joints ask for "double meat". You'll pay more, maybe bringing a sandwich up to $4.50 or $5, but you'll get the proportions you're looking for more often, I suspect.

2) I have a feeling you weren't always comparing apples to apples on the fillings. You don't really say, but it sounds like you were mostly comparing dac biets, #1 on many banh mi menus, and generally a mixed meat "special". However, places sometimes use different meats for this. They pretty much all have a pate (which may or may not be made in-house and it's a question worth asking), but after that it can be a range of meats. So one may just fit your palate better. But some of the place mentioned don't have this. And some places won't even have a thit nuong or if they do, they'll be very different styles.)

3) Finally, the various banh mi joints have different things they do well, in my experience. eg, you don't recommend An Xuyen, but they actually make a pretty darn good xiu mai (meatball) banh mi and have some of the better bread in town. (For future reports, I'd recommend you ask where they get the bread because while some make it in-house, most get it from somewhere else which can be a leading indicator, as with the pate.) You don't indicate if you ate more than one sandwich per place and you don't indicate which filling you actually chose.

btw, just as an aside, Meat Cheese Bread has had a banh mi on their board for a while now. I haven't tried it, though. If you ever want to do a follow-up for a blog post or whatever, hit me up.
Posted by extramsg]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:44:38 -0700Portland Mercury
Posted by Kenny Schmidt]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:19:48 -0700Portland Mercury
Posted by rich bachelor]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:25:57 -0700Portland Mercury
Posted by The Showstopper]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:24:15 -0700Portland Mercury
Posted by Waddles]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:43:34 -0700Portland Mercury
You recommended Binh Minh Sandwiches, which is on SE Powell, but I didn't see a mention of Binh Minh Bakery, on NE Broadway. Are they connected businesses?
Posted by m.ael]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:31:36 -0700Portland Mercury
Not sure you reviewed the Viet joint by Rose City golf course in NE. Best Banh Mi sands i have had in the area.
Posted by I'mrightyerwrong]]>
Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:28:43 -0700Portland Mercury